A Tale in the Night
by j.haerton
Summary: Inspired by Frankenstein. It's not so much of a retelling, as a similar world and characters. Rated T for dark themes. Lords Thomas and Bryan hunt. They hunt for the people who shattered their world one fateful night. Lucy, a poor orphan, searches. Searches for direction and meaning in a friendless world And the last one, he wanders. Wanders looking for lost sanity and humanity.
1. Chapter 1

**This story is inspired by Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. It's not so much of a retelling, as a similar world and characters.**

 **It is Rated T for some dark themes (it is based on Frankenstein after all), but the violence is more implied rather than shown.**

 **Reviews are very much appreciated.**

 **Enjoy.**

Chapter 1

Thomas sat quietly in his coach waiting and searching the horizons. That's all they did anymore. He had been born a noble, and studied to be a doctor. Now, all he and his brother did was hunt. Thomas closed his eyes and started to nod off. For the thousandth time, he dreamed of home. Of warmth, laughter, smiling eyes, dark hair. Thomas started to fidget in his sleep as the dark hair turned red. The laughter and smiles changed to screams, and the warmth to a biting cold. A sudden cold gust of wind jerked Thomas awake. He was sweating. He opened his watch and looked at something inside it. It calmed him. He tapped his walking stick by the door and the coachman soon appeared.

"Any sign of my brother?"

"None sir."

"He must still be at the next town. Be ready to leave within the half hour."

"Very good sir." The coachman hurried to the inn to get some more time by the fire. There was no use arguing with these nobles. They were lit by some inner fire that consumed them as surely as the inn's fire burned the dry logs.

It was a cold winter, and the summer had been dry. None of the people in the small village wanted to share their poor supply of bread, so Lucy trudged along the old road out of the village, dragging her lame leg behind her. There wasn't much work she could do, and no one was even willing to give her lodging. Her only hope for food was to go to the next village 7 miles away. Lucy trudged along. She had slept during the church services. She could go the night. She wouldn't get lost. They had told her North, and once Lucy chose a direction, she could always keep it. As she passed the village boundaries, a fine carriage crossed out as well. "Stop the carriage," said the occupant.

"Pardon me young lady, but are you in need of help?"

Lucky looked at the gentle speaker. It was a young man with dark hair and eyes, and an aristocratically pointed nose. His carriage and clothes were spotless, and his extended gloved hand matched the concerned expression on his face.

"No thank you sir," said Lucy with a curtsy.

"Where are you going at this late hour? Shouldn't you be getting home."

"Yes sir." said Lucy.

"Is your home here? If you're going to the next village, may I offer you a ride? The weather shows every sign of treacherous snows," said the Lord as he started to open his carriage door.

"No thank you sir." said Lucy gripping her crutch more tightly. "I'm merely going to the well for some water before I go home to bed. Thank you for your concern." she said, gently pushing his arm away as she walked by his carriage door.

"If you're sure," said the Lord disappointedly.

"Quite." replied Lucy. "Goodnight to you."

Lucy turned to the left and hid behind a house until the carriage was out of sight. She had never trusted fancy lords, especially the good looking ones. She had seen too many of them offering treats and rides to girls in the many villages she had passed. Pulling her shawl tighter, Lucy headed out into the night.

Two hours later Lucy kept looking over her shoulder. The wind and snow had picked up, but the howls she heard were too piercing. Like a human in agony. There was another. Lucy tried to walk quietly, and crunch the snow less. Suddenly, the howls were less piercing, just as the wind lessened. "It's just the wind after all," she murmured. Lucy paused to clutch her beating heart and catch her breath. Then, Lucy heard the crunch of rapid footsteps in the snow. Turning around, she saw a large black shape moving towards her quickly.

"Wolves!" she thought.

She started running as quickly as she could. The shape kept looming closer. Suddenly, Lucy felt herself lifted from the ground. It was a large man, holding her tightly and starting to run with her.

"Let me go!" and Lucy hit him on the neck with her crutch. Dazed, the man dropped her. Her crutch broken, Lucy had no way to regain her feet, so she started crawling away. A few minutes later, she was near fainting. Her chest was burning, and the wind and snow blew right in her face. She could just make out the shape of a carriage in the distance.

"Milord!" she called. At this point, she'd take the smooth talking lord over this bundled man. Just then, Lucy heard heavy footsteps and breathing. Rolling over, she saw the man standing over her. Her chest bursting, she tried to hit him as he reached for her, but he just blocked her arm. Lucy slipped into unconsciousness just as the carriage began to turn towards her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Ohhh" moaned Lucy as she woke up. Her chest just had a dull pain now. She was lying on a hard and dirty floor in a small, dark cabin. Lucy sat up slowly. Nothing was broken, and it appeared that no one was there. Lucy felt around till she found a chair and hauled herself to her feet. She walked forward till she found a small window and door. The window showed her that it was still night and still snowing. As Lucy put her hand on the door knob, the door flew open and a light from a lantern bathed her frightened face as she lost her balance. A large arm reached out the darkness into the light, grabbed her waist, and set her on her feet. Then the rest of the man stepped out of the darkness and into the cabin, kicking the door shut since his arms were full. Lucy put up her hands as the man stepped closer to her.

He was so heavily bundled that Lucy couldn't make out his face, but she could hear his calm breathing. Her own breathing was scratchy. She clutched at her chest.

"Still breathing?" he asked evenly.

"Who are you?" Lucy choked out.

She could see the man's eyes narrow. "Something's wrong with you. Sit down," he said leading Lucy to one of the chairs while setting the lantern down on the table next to them. Lucy gripped her shawls tighter around her.

The man looked at her hands clasped over her heart, and then at her eyes flashing fear. The tension went out of his body. "Something's wrong with your leg too. Let me see." As the man started to lift her skirt, Lucy kicked out hard with her good foot and shuffled out the door. She only got 5 yards before her adrenaline and balance gave out and she collapsed into the snow, gasping for breath. The man came up quietly and stared down at her. Lucy just closed her eyes as she felt like she was gasping out her last. The man picked her up slowly. He held her close as he ran back to the cabin. Lucy struggled for air, but when the man tried to loosen her shawls, she tried to claw his eyes. So he just held her from behind while Lucy gasped on the floor. His slow, steady breathing helped calm Lucy's heart while her mind started whirring. She didn't know where she was, or who this man was, and she didn't trust him. She also was in too much pain to run, and to scared as to what would happen if she fell again and he came after her. As Lucy calmed down, the man tightened his grip around her.

"Don't bother bolting. You need to rest. There's some blankets in the other room. Can you stand?"

Without waiting for an answer, the man helped Lucy to her feet and marched her into a smaller room just off the main one in the cabin. Helpless, Lucy didn't fight, but let him make up a bed for her on the floor, and lay her down. He pulled the blankets up over her, and then lay down next to her with his arms holding her close, steadying her breathing. Lucy blacked out from exhaustion.

The next morning Lucy's chest felt almost normal. The man was gone, but she could hear him in the next room. There was no window in her room, so she opened the door to face her captor. The moment the door opened the man leaped from the side of the door, grabbed her, and pushed her into a chair. "Stay."

He handed her a bowls of broth. "Eat."

Lucy swallowed. "How do I know it's safe?"

The man shook his head. "I don't play those games. I decided not to kill you when you ran last night, so I won't kill you. Now eat."

Lucy sipped the warm broth while the man watched her closely beneath his furs.

"What's wrong with you?"

Lucy almost choked on her broth. "My leg's just twisted."

"That explains the stick. Here's a new one by the way." The stick he handed Lucy looked like a tree branch torn from a large tree. As he leaned out his arm to pass it to her, Lucy saw scars up and down his wrist and forearm.

"What are those?"

He pulled his arm back quickly. "Knives. What's wrong with your heart?"

Lucy stiffened. "I don't know what you mean."

The man leaned closer to Lucy and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Don't struggle. Let me feel it." Lucy closed her eyes. She could feel his heart. It was strong and steady.

"I can barely feel your heart. You feel dead."

Lucy pushed him away and turned her head. She tried to fight back tears. She couldn't have another weakness. It wasn't fair.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"What do you want from me?" she begged.

"To talk. Who are you?"

Lucy sat silently, so the man talked instead. He told her about the blizzard, how he'd seen her looking faint, so he'd tried to help her.

"I almost left you behind when I saw the carriage, but then I realized whose it was, so I decided to save you even though you hit me."

"Why did the carriage scare you?"

"It belongs to a monster."

"You mean the young pale lord? I met him earlier."

"You met him?" he whispered, his eyes filled with fear.

"He offered me a ride. I should have taken it!"

"NO!" he shouted as he leapt to his feet and knocked the chair to the floor. "Never take a ride from him. He likes to play with people who are weak. He'll try to change you. He'll cut you." The last three words were uttered in a dark growl. Lucy felt a chill go up her spine.

"Did he cut you?"

"Yes," he leaned closer, "ever day."

Lucy's empty bowl clattered to the floor. The man was crazy. He probably had escaped from a hospital. Maybe the Lord was a doctor.

"Was he just trying to help you?"

Frustrated, the man stood up. He unwrapped his scarves and took off his coat. In his ragged shirt, Lucy could easily see that he had scars all over.

"No, he wasn't helping."

Frightened, Lucy eyed the door. The man caught her look. "You're not well enough to leave, and the Lord may still be near. Stay here while I get wood."

"Will you kill me if I run?" Lucy asked frankly.

The man paused. "Maybe. All of you out here have tried to kill me..."he looked at her closely. "You're injured, lame, wrong, like us." He continued walking out the door. Lucy walked to the door. He was nowhere in sight. She put her scarf over her head, stepped out, and limped to the next town. The man didn't come after her.


	3. Chapter 3

At the next town Lucy continued begging for work. One woman gave her some washing to do. Lucy rolled up her sleeves and used the harsh lye soap. It stung, but the lady gave her half a loaf of bread for it. As Lucy left the house, she passed by the little local church. She hadn't visited one for a while after all, and despite the warm sunshine, she still felt very confused and shaken up from the night before. She wasn't sure what or if she should do anything about the strange man. As Lucy rounded the corner of the church, she noticed a carriage in front of it.

The symbol on the side was the same as the noble she had met earlier, but the carriage seemed different. Quietly, Lucy dodged back around the corner, peering out carefully. What made her nervous she couldn't say for sure, but after the man's ranting the last night, she wasn't sure she wanted to meet the Lord again.

She watched from the corner as the occupant stepped out to speak with the priest. At first she thought it was the Lord, until she noticed his hair was lighter, and he was taller. His face was different as well, though she couldn't say what set it apart. Realizing he wasn't the same man and wouldn't recognize her, Lucy started walking around the Lord to head into the church.

The priest had been speaking to the noble, but when he saw the young girl slipping into the church, he put a hand up.

"Pardon me a moment Lord Bryan, but I see a young soul who needs some attention. How may I help you my dear?"

Lucy looked up startled. Lord Bryan looked annoyed, but when he noticed Lucy he suddenly looked at her with intense interest.

"No Father. I don't, that is, I just wanted to... I mean"

"I just need to know Father Pierce," interrupted Lord Bryan, "if you have seen a large, scarred man with amazing strength and a harsh temper. I am searching for a murdering lunatic who escaped from a hospital I patron and my brother runs."

"No my son, I have not. Are the officials not looking for him?"

"Yes, but I have the means to help. His strength lets him travel far and do much damage. I am anxious that he is stopped. I have heard villagers mention food going missing, and a light on in an old deserted cabin. Have you noticed anything?"

While Father Pierce told Lord Bryan no, Lucy caught her breath. A hospital? Was the strange man insane as she thought? Lucy was about to tell the Lord when she remembered the scars. Would a hospital really give such a treatment? The strange man's trapped eyes swam in front of her view. All the stories about strange hospitals and patients going missing that she had ever heard whispered in dark taverns, came to her memory. Before she could think, Lucy was speaking.

"Forgive me Milord, but the lights in the cabin are me. I have taken up living there."

Lord Bryan looked at her skeptically.

"By yourself?"

"No Milord. My brother lives with me."

Lord Bryan cast his eyes round about.

"Is he here today?"

"No. He's getting wood at the cabin while I get food."

"You're not the one stealing it?" the Lord asked in a bored tone.

"No!" cried Lucy indignantly. "Why would we steal when I come down here and work for food?"

Shrugging, Lord Bryan turned back to Father Pierce.

"Well that seems to answer all your questions Lord Bryan. God be with you on your journey."

As the Lord climbed back into his carriage, the priest turned to Lucy.

"And how may I help you my daughter?" he said.

"I…I just wanted to sit in the church for a moment Father. I didn't want to be any trouble. I was just leaving," said Lucy, and she made as if to walk away.

The father eyed her leg.

"Pardon me daughter, but is your leg injured?"

Lucy swallowed "It happened in a fire."

"Than why does your brother let you walk all the way to this village. Is he slothful?"

Lucy grimaced. She didn't want to have to keep up this lying. She was getting too involved.

"No father, it isn't that, well, um, he's disfigured."

Lord Bryan, in the middle of shutting his carriage door, paused to listen to Lucy.

"How?"

"The fire. Years ago. Our whole family burned except for us. Heavy beams fell on my leg, but my brother shielded me from the flames. He's ashamed of his horrible burn scars. He's been mistreated at many of the villages we've been to. That's why we wanted to be in that cabin. No one is around us."

Oh, now she'd done it. What a lie to tell a priest.

At this point the woman who had given Lucy work that morning came up to see who the rich Lord was, and what the Father was talking about.

"Can your brother work?" she asked.

"Yes," replied Lucy.

"Well then, the solutions is simple," she paused to make sure she had everyone's attention. "Father Pierce will speak to the villagers. At night they can leave out washing and mending. Your brother can chop wood and leave it at the houses that leave out food, and bring the washing and mending to you and back to us again. That way you don't have to walk here every day, and we can all pay you with food."

"An excellent plan Mrs. Tori. I do hope to see you still come here for services though," said Father Pierce turning to Lucy.

Lucy stared speechless at the priest. It would be the perfect solution, except she wouldn't be here. She was leaving. She tried to think of a way out without endangering the man. "But, wouldn't it be too easy for someone to steal all the food and washing left out?"

Mrs. Tori shook her head. "Thieving is not tolerated here."

"I could just agree to it and leave," thought Lucy. But what if the priest came by the cabin? She wasn't sure if she was more scared for the man or the priest. Just then she saw the Lord was in the carriage still watching her. He looked all ready to set out, he just wanted to hear her answer.

"Oh Father, I am so grateful. You are all so generous. Would the villagers really do that for us?"

While Mrs. Tori assured her, Father Pierce watched Lord Bryan leave the village, his carriage pointed away from it and the cabin.

"Good riddance," he muttered.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Lucy trudged slowly back to the cabin as quietly as she could. As she got closer, she couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched. About 2 yards from the cabin, the mad man came bolting from around the corner. He ran full speed towards her. Lucy braced herself for a blow, but instead he lifted her up as gently as China, and took her into the cabin. He set her down on a chair and poured her more broth. She pulled out the loaf and split it in two, laying half by his bowl. He wasn't bothering to hide his scars, and it was as clear as could be he was excited to see her. Lucy tired to eat her soup calmly, but he kept grinning at her-it made her nervous.

"I came back-"

"I know. I'm glad you did."

"You know why I came back?"

"No, why?"

"At the village, a Lord Bryan showed up and started asking questions. He'd heard about stealing and lights in this cabin," Lucy paused. The man had jumped at the name of the Lord, but not reacted to the reports of stealing. "Were you stealing?" she asked.

The smile had slipped from the man's face at the mention of Lord Bryan, but now he frowned and glared at Lucy's question.

"And if I was?" he said darkly.

"It will get us into trouble and its wrong."

"What do you mean us?" asked the man excitedly.

I told Lord Bryan that I was living in the cabin, and I said with my brother when he asked me more questions. When he left, the priest started asking questions."

Lucy told what had happened while the man watched her warily. When she finished he looked at her expectantly.

"And?"

"And what?" asked Lucy crossly.

"Are you really going to stay and be my sister."

"I don't know."

"But you said you would!"

"I also said you were my brother and we were injured in a fire."

"Weren't you injured in a fire?"

"I was but you weren't!"

"How did the fire start?"

" I don't know!"

The man paused for a moment, and then asked:

"What was your family like?"

"None of your blooming business!"

"It is if I'm your brother."

"You aren't! I just said that cause-"

"You're staying."

"No!" shouted Lucy. Now she had done it. Her heart was pounding again. She knew she needed to be calm after last night, but she was starting to feel trapped. The man eyes grew wide and he crossed over to Lucy. He put his hands on her heaving shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Calm down."

He tried to open her blouse, but Lucy pushed him away. "Stop that!"

"I'm trying to see what is wrong."

"It's a weak heart. That's all. It's indecent for you to look."

The man gave Lucy a blank stare.

"I mean it's wrong. A person wears clothes to remain modest, and no one must look at them naked."

"I thought clothes were for the cold."

"That too."

"Lord Bryan didn't' care about modesty," snarled the man.

"About that, Lord Bryan is different from the Lord I saw last night."

The man nodded. "His brother."

"Did they run a hospital?"

"I don't know. We were in his castle. He'd catch us and take us there. Then he'd... He caught me when I was a little boy. Offered me a ride home. Instead he took me to his castle. For days he gave me horrible things to drink, or shocked me with a rod. When I was a little older, he tried to rearrange my face. The pain was intense. At night we'd sneak a look at his books and see how to heal ourselves. Make the pain go away. One day I stole a knife and tried to cut off his hand. Instead, he shocked me with the rod and cut off my hand. Then he sewed it back on. That gave him an idea. He started cutting me and healing it back up. Trying different ways. Sometimes, he'd cut off a body part and sew a new one back on. My new ear doesn't work."

Lucy look horror struck. The man stated this horrible history so calmly, without an emotion.

"The other Lord too?" she asked.

The man shook his head. "I didn't see him till the night we took the castle."

" How did you escape?"

"I didn't. One day Silence snuck away his keys. She gave them to me. We all snuck into his room and tried to kill him. He and his brother got away, but we blocked up all the doors and secret passageways. He's never been able to get back in."

"Who is Silence? Who are the others?"

The man shook his head. They sat in silence for a while.

"What do they call you?" he finally asked.

"Lucy. What's your name?"

"We didn't have names, but they called me Cut."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lucy stayed with Cut. She was too weak to go anywhere, and the promise of shelter was too tempting. Every night Cut gathered the washing, and he'd drop it off the next night. It brought them barely enough food to live on, but Cut would go trap animals like beaver to add to the stew. Some Sundays Lucy would go to service, but by and large she preferred Cut's company. For the first time since the fire, someone was taking care of her. And for the first time since he'd left the castle, Cut felt accepted. He'd carved Lucy's branch into a beautiful walking stick. In return, Lucy took the furs from the animals he trapped and made him some boots that fit his huge feet.

"How are you so strong if he was hurting you so much?" asked Lucy one day when he had finished carrying home the washing.

"Some drink he kept giving me. It made me go half crazy, but it kept me strong. I'd always been big for my age," he turned away sadly. "I don't remember much about my life before Lord Bryan. An old woman in a meadow is the strongest memory. It's why I left the castle. I never could find her. She's probably dead. I did find the meadow. Lord Bryan's brother, Thomas I think, burned it the next day."

 **About 1 Year Earlier:**

 _Lord Bryan had watched the castle for days. One day he had seen Cut and some of the others in the meadow. He looked around, but Thomas wasn't there. Loading his pistol he had charged them. He had almost caught them when one of them had lunged and almost took his head off. They would have killed him except his brother had come over the hill firing pistols and screaming at the top of his lungs._

 _"Are you alright?" asked Thomas_

 _"Yes. We were in time today," Teplied Lord Bryan_

 _Thomas gulped. In time. He had burned the meadow. Whatever had drawn them to it was destroyed. Just as they had destroyed his life._

 _The others had blamed Cut. "This is your fault" spat Claw when he brought back Stumpy with a gunshot wound. They had all vowed to never leave the castle. Silence let Cut get out through a tower window, but Claw had it boarded up the next day. He was on his own now…_ Until he had found Lucy.

Cut would mention names in his stories, but he would never tell Lucy about them when she asked. He loved to talk, but he would never explain who Silence was. He would just give her a stony look like the one Lucy gave him when he asked about her family.

Every night Cut tucked Lucy into bed, and then sat outside her door. Some nights she would hear him crying. She'd get up and go hold him till he fell asleep. Other nights he'd hear her moaning in pain, and go hold her till she fell asleep. They never asked each other why. The days passed comfortably and slowly. One day blurred with the next, and slowly, Lucy began to let down her walls, and let Cut in.

 **Meanwhile, not too far away on the road:**

This time, it was Lord Bryan who waited, but he did not sleep. His eyes flashed back and forth as he thought. They had searched everywhere. The monster was their best chance of getting back into the castle. They had unfinished business with the villains inside. Lord Bryan calmly wound his watch. He didn't need to look inside it. He knew what he was after. His idiot brother needed to hurry.

Finally, Thomas arrived.

"Any luck?" asked Lord Bryan.

Thomas shook his head. "It's useless Bryan. He's probably long gone. We'd stand a better chance by waiting at the castle. They'll have to come out sooner or later."

"You don't know them like I do Thomas. These were always the dangerous ones at your hospital. That's why we brought them to the castle."

"She wouldn't want this. The hospital, our lands, tenants, it's all suffering without us."

"It'll survive!" barked Bryan. "The stewards and other doctors can manage it. You've seen these horrors. What they can do. Are you willing to turn your back and let them be unleashed?"

Thomas hung his head. When he finally raised it his eyes were clear. "No."

Life had continued for Lucy and Cut. Lucy woke early one morning. She had slept better than ever before. She decided to fetch the wood and start breakfast so Cut could sleep in when he got back. While she was out gathering the wood, she heard Cut open the cabin door and go in. Scooping it all up, Lucy hurried around to the front of the house where she was stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Father Pierce next to the front door knocking. As he reached out for the doorknob, Lucy saw Cut in the very corner of the window. He was standing by the door with a heavy stick.

"Father Pierce, wait!"

"Oh, Lucy, how are you my daughter?"

"I'm fine Father. What brings you up here?"

"I didn't see you at service last Sunday. How are things with the arrangement?"

"Just fine Father, but-"

"Oh here child," said the priest as he lifted the wood from Lucy's arms, "let me help you carry that in."

Lucy turned to the window and gave a confused Cut a worried look. Nodding, he hurried away from the door and into the extra room. Lucy opened the door and showed the priest where to set it while she quickly lit a fire and started their breakfast broth.

"Well Lucy, I understand that you're brother has reasons not to come with you to church, but I hoped he'd be willing to let me see him."

"He's not here right now father."

Father Pierce gave Lucy a long look. "It is a sin to lie Lucy."

Lucy gulped. "Father, you seeing him, would not be a good idea."

"I've seen horrible burns in the past my child."

"Cut doesn't want to be seen. He's sensitive about it, and I won't have him uncomfortable. You don't need to worry about us Father. Cut and I are doing just fine."

Father Pierce nodded and sipped the broth Lucy put in front of him.

"An interesting name, Cut."

"It's short for Cutler. We gave him the nickname because he is so good at carving," said Lucy proudly showing the Father her walking stick. Father Pierce looked thoughtfully at the beautiful and intricate carvings. "Cutler made this?"

"Yes." Lucy could hear Cut pacing in the other room, and just prayed the Father would continue ignoring it.

"I haven't seen workmanship like this for a long time. It's so smooth, and delicate, but strong." Father Pierce looked up at Lucy. "Lucy my dear, you may have noticed that the town has been working to remodel the church in our parish. Make it like new. Do you think that Cutler would be willing to contribute his carvings to the pulpit and the wall behind it?"

Cut stopped pacing.

"I'll ask him Father."

"Thank you. I best be going now. Thank you for the broth."

Once the priest was well gone, Lucy hurried and threw open the door.

"You lie fast," said Cut.

Lucy gave him a glare. "Well I had to, how dare you think of striking a priest!"

"I'll strike anyone who's a threat."

"Oh, really. Then why didn't you 'strike' me when I ran?"

Cut frowned and looked down at the walking stick in Lucy's hand. "That's not why I'm called Cut."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "I wasn't about to tell him you were cut up by Lord Bryan now was I. Besides, I think Cutler suits you," she whispered with a smile.

Cut smiled back. "I would like to carve more," he said wistfully. "Then we'll find a way for you to do it," promised Lucy.

From then on, Cut would go to the Church late at night where the priest had left a lantern, and he would carve away. At first he started with a border of vines. Every day he carved more and more leaves. One day he decided to add flowers. He tried adding a texture to them, trying to make the vines look rougher, and the petals softer. Each morning Father Pierce would wake up and see the pulpit slowly progress. One day, Cut finally decided exactly what shape to give the flowers. He didn't know the name, but their image was burned in his mind. It was the flowers he loved most from the meadow.

That same afternoon Lucy had taken a rare trip to the town to visit Mrs. Tori and gather any news. As she was leaving Mrs. Tori's home, her blood ran cold. It was a rich carriage. She recognized the symbol. It was one of the brother's. Staying in the shadows, she watched as two strong men lifted a small bell from inside the carriage and carry it to the open doors of the church. The priest and one of the brothers was walking out. It was the doctor. Thomas. Lucy ran behind the houses till she was closer to hear what was being said. "Thank you again Doctor Thomas for the bell. Our last one broke years ago. Most of the young children have never heard the sweet sound. It will be a Merry Christmas this year."

"Well, my brother and I are just happy to help," replied Thomas as he pulled on his gloves. He paused for a moment as if lost in thought, and then prepared to step in his carriage.

"Well, bless you all the same. I feel you need it. Something weighs heavily on you."

"Just, responsibility. I feel responsible for the murderer who escaped my asylum."

"My son, I know when a soul is not telling the whole truth."

Thomas paused. "Someone got hurt. When he got away. Someone close to me. An innocent. We didn't arrive in time to help her."

Father Pierce nodded. "For this, you are forgiven my son." Thomas smiled sadly and hurried into the carriage. "By the way Father," he said turning, "excellent workmanship on your pulpit. Who do you have doing it?"

"A young man in the village."

"Well, tell him if he would ever like to work for a noble family, we would be happy to have his help preparing our ancestral home when all this is done with.

Father Pierce shook his head. "I doubt that. He's not one for travel."

"Well, tell him just the same," said Thomas as his carriage drove off. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a girl approaching the priest. There was something familiar about her, but he brushed it off. There was another girl he was thinking about.

That night Cut asked Lucy about her family again. "Why won't you talk about them?" he asked.

"Why won't you tell me about the people in the castle" she replied.

"There's too much to tell."

"Then that's my answer." Lucy tried to get back to work sewing, but she kept remembering Dr. Thomas' words about an innocent dying.

"Silence was the smallest." Lucy started at the sound and turned towards Cut.

"The others thought her an idiot, but she was smart," he said fondly. "The smartest I think. She saw everything. That's how she was able to steal Lord Bryan's keys."

 **About 1 year earlier:**

 _Lord Bryan had just finished "working with" Claw. He had headed out of the dungeons/hospital without noticing the slight figure slipping through the door before he locked it. He had stopped checking the patients' cells along time ago. He was careful to check the door. His family was visiting and he didn't want them disturbed. At the staircase Thomas came down to ask him about a ride they all planned to take into the village that next morning. Neither of them saw the hand reach out and slip one key off of the ring. As they headed up the stairs, they didn't see the pale blue eyes staring out from below the staircase. Silence unlocked the door and let them all out. She was also the one who would later find all the passageways for them to board up, but that would come much later._

"Who is Claw?"

Cut just stared at Lucy.

"I had one brother. He was younger than me. He was named Clarence. He was good at whistling. He could copy any tune he ever heard," whispered Lucy.

Cut nodded. "Claw sort of was our leader. She took charge after the night we escaped."

"Cut, what happened that night?"

"We chased them off."

"No, I mean, why do they hunt you so? I saw the Doctor, Thomas, at the parish today donating a bell. He said an innocent was hurt. Was it Silence?"

Cut shook his head. He closed his eyes. Lucy could almost see a tear trickling down.

From then on, every night, Lucy and Cut shared one thing with each other about their past, but Cut never talked about the night they escaped again. Lucy asked Cut about what they did for fun instead.

"We didn't have fun a lot, but we often had contests. To see who was the fastest or strongest. I liked reading some of the books in the library. Wolf taught me how. He was very educated. He had ended up there because he had a rare condition. He grew fur all over his body. Sometimes though, he had trouble breathing."

Cut turned expectantly to Lucy.

"We'd sing songs or watch Ma and Pa dance at night."

"How do you dance? I saw it once."

Lucy shook her head. "I couldn't show you."

"Course you could."

Cut pulled Lucy to her feet. He put his hands around her waist, and they started slowly stepping around the room. Lucy winced and tripped, but Cut caught her. Then he lifted her up and spun her around. Lucy laughed as he set her down again. They kept dancing, but at one point when Cut put her back down, she stumbled and fell very close to him. Cut put his hand under her chin. He tilted her head up. Lucy leaned closer. They kissed. At first it made Lucy feel dizzy, and then warm, but then she pulled away. Cut just stared at her. She gathered her things and went to bed. Cut didn't tuck her in that night.

He blew out the lantern and headed out to the church where he finished carving a sea on the back wall, like the one Lucy had told him a man had walked on once. He carved a single figure on the water. Impossible didn't seem so far away.

What Cut didn't see as he left the cabin that night was Father Pierce standing around the corner of their house, having backed away from the window just as Cut had come out.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next morning, Lucy woke to find Cut making breakfast. He seemed uncomfortable when she came in.

Lucy set the table. They had a quiet breakfast. Afterward Cut went out to get some more snow to melt for the washing.

"Lucy!"

Lucy came running out.

"Look," Cut said pointing, "Footsteps in the snow. Someone came and looked in our window. They saw me."

Lucy stooped closer and dug in the snow a little bit while Cut kept talking.

"I'll bet it was the Lords. They've come back. You're not safe Lucy."

"We're not safe, and it wasn't the Lords. It was Father Pierce," she said holding up a small crucifix. Cut gritted his teeth. "I'll take care of him."

"NO! He might not have seen anything. I'll go talk to him."

Cut grabbed Lucy's shoulders. "We can't risk it. I won't let anything hurt you. If he hadn't seen anything, he would have come in to talk to you."

"How can you so quickly forget everything he's done for us?"

"He did them for Cutler a burn victim, not Cut a lunatic!"

"You can't hurt him Cut."

"Then we'll run away, before he can go for the Lord. We'll leave right now."

Lucy hung back.

"Lucy?"

"Did you kill someone the night you escaped?"

"What?!"

"IF I run with you, there's no escaping."

"Escaping what? Escaping me? Do you not want to be with me?" Cut looked at Lucy's crumbling face. "Are you scared? You think I did hurt someone."

"You threaten all the time. Cut, I'm afraid of having to depend on you. Of not being able to stand on my own."

Cut looked angry. "Is that why you pulled back last night? You don't trust me? Would it be so bad to rely on me? I rely on you!"

"Did you kill someone?!"

"And if I did," he whispered as he stepped closer.

Lucy shook her head, the tears already gathering. "I can't believe it. I know you Cut. You didn't hurt me because I was defenseless. Not because I was deformed. What really happened?"

"I don't know Lucy. I don't know what happened, but someone did die that night. Someone close to the Lords. I don't know what she was like. I never saw her before that night."

"I care about you Cut, I just don't know if I'm willing to stay with you. To run forever."

"You won't be safe here Lucy."

"You don't know that."

Cut turned towards the door. "I think I love you," he said.

"Oh Cut."

Cut slammed the door shut. Lucy turned and walked toward the village.

"Ah, my daughter. I was hoping to see you before the Sabbath. We need to talk."

"Father, I-"

"I saw you kiss last night. You can hand me the little crucifix back. Cut is not your brother, nor is he a fire victim. My child, can you condemn your soul by living in sin with a man who has committed murder?"

"He didn't! I'm not!"

Father Pierce looked taken back. "Explain."

"He says someone was hurt that night, but he didn't do it. I know it. He wouldn't harm anyone innocent. The lords pushed them to it."

"He is the man they are looking for, isn't he?"

"Did you see his cuts? When you were spying, did you see his arms? They did that to him. Lord Bryan particularly. He's done more. They were all being killed slowly. Is it so wrong that they tried to get free?"

Father Pierce sat silently for a moment before speaking:

"What will he do now?"

"He wants us to run, but I can't do it."

"So you do doubt his word?"

"No. I could never turn back. The Lords would chase us forever."

"I don't trust Lord Bryan, but that does not mean I trust this Cut either. You must stay here and let what happens happen."

"I can't leave him to be caught. He needs me. He'd never hurt me."

Father Pierce looked at Lucy. "I don't understand child. If you believe that then why are you here? You told me you can't run with him, and you are right. But you also tell me you can't leave him. My child..."

"I just can't do it. I can't make a choice like that forever. What should I do Father, we have to help him. The lords will kill him!"

Father Pierce paused for a moment longer. "Lucy my child, how do you feel about this Cut?"

"He's innocent!"

"Yes, you've made that quite clear, but that is not what I was asking. What do you feel for Cut?"

"I…he's my friend. I want to help him."

"Why my child?"

"Because he should be helped. Because he is kind and makes me feel..." Lucy trailed off and stared down at her stick.

Father Pierce follwed her gaze and nodded slowly.

"Aye," he said. "He makes you feel like that."

Lucy looked up. "Father Pierce, he's innocent. I know it. Can't we...the lords don't know he's here. You're the only one. Can't things just continue as they are?"

"Can they child? Can they really? Were things this morning between you and Cut the same as they were before last night?"

Lucy blushed and looked down. "Nothing happened."

"Oh, I believe you my child, but Cut wants to run did you not say? And he wants you to go with him. And Lucy my child, deny it as you might, a part of you desires it as well."

Lucy looked up again. "So what do I do?"

"I already told you, I don't trust the Lord Bryan. I haven't met this Cut, but..." Father Pierce paused and looked at Lucy, in her warm coat and with her polished walking stick. "But, he is perhaps nothing more than a lost soul. Bring him here Lucy. You're right that running will only trap the two of you in something twisted and dangerous forever. Bring him here, I'll not send for the lords. But child, God only knows what may happen. It may be safest if we got you away from here."

"Cut will come after me, won't he?"

"Do you want him to."

Lucy just stared off at the pulpit Cut had been carving. "Forget me nots," she whispered.

"My child, you may not need to run from the Lords today, but you may tomorrow. What is it you want?"

Lucy thought. Cut would never hurt her. He never tried to force her. Sure he would beg her to stay, but he really would let her go. He was innocent. She knew it. Not just cause she loved him, but because she knew him. She did love him. She thought of staying in the village without him, in any village, and knew she would go insane with worry about what he was facing alone.

"I'll stand by him to the death."

Father Pierce smiled tiredly. "Then child, Tell me everything you know about him."

Lucy told it all. "I promise to protect you both," swore the Father. "Bring him here tonight. I'll speak with him and we'll see what needs to be done and make arrangements, about everything."

Lucy stepped closer. "How can I trust you?"

"Trust God."

Lucy ran the whole way back to the cabin laughing and crying." She loved Cut. She loved him. She didn't have to leave him. She didn't want to. They'd go somewhere safe where he could heal. Maybe she'd grow stronger too. Maybe they'd grow wings and fly away. There was the Cabin. The sun was just setting behind it. Lucy threw open the door.

"Cut, I love you!"

-BANG!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Lucy stood in the doorway, clutching her stomach. Blood was seeping over her dress. Lord Bryan sat in a chair at the end of the table with a smoking gun. Thomas was standing behind him. He had turned at the shot and stared in horror at Lucy. "You look familiar," said Lord Bryan calmly as he reloaded his gun. Lucy tried to run at him, but her stick fell and she clutched the table end opposite the two lords. "Ah yes, the lame girl." Thomas took a step towards her, but his brother held out his hand to stop him.

"How?" gasped out Lucy.

"Did we find you both? The gossip in the town about a hermit brother and sister was very suspicious. Especially when my brother Thomas reported the familiar carvings in the church. We found the cabin and have been waiting for Cut. I really had forgotten about you."

"Cut will kill you," spat out Lucy.

"Not before he watches you die. Besides, I've alerted the villagers of the dangerous, lying murderer. That and the dead body I showed them will get them here anytime. So do I finish you now, or wait for Cut?"

"Brother stop this! She's an innocent," interjected Thomas.

"So was our sister."

"Sister? Was she the one who died?" asked Lucy.

Thomas pushed his brother's hand aside and crossed over to Lucy, he examined her wound and shook his head. "You need a hospital."

Lucy felt herself fading, but she saw something. Something of the trapped look she'd seen in Cut's eyes. "He didn't kill your sister."

Thomas' eyes clouded over. "They all did."

 _He had been asleep that night. Just dozed off when he heard the scream. Loud and piercing. "Kate!" he had called out. He ran out of his bed and threw open the door. The patients had gotten out. Kate's room was at the end of the hall. Some of the patients had run into his brother's room in the middle of the hall. Horrible monsters. His brother dashed out of his own room holding the door shut with both hands. "Thomas, help me!" Bryan's keys were gone. Quickly, Thomas had reached for the ornaments on the hallway table and jammed the lock. Both brothers heard the sound breaking glass in Kate's room. They had run to Kate's room. One thought driving Thomas. Someone was hurting his baby sister. Bryan reached the room first, he paused, and then ran to the broken window. Thomas came in after him and almost fell to his knees right there. His sister was in her bed. The covers still covering her, but she wasn't sleeping. Her head and arm hung over the bed. Her eyes wide and empty. Blood was trickling through her hair, a bullet wound through her head. As Thomas held her in his arms, the tears flowed freely and hot. He let a howl like a wounded beast. Why? Why her? He felt Bryan's hand on his shoulder. Heard him say something, but he saw nothing other than Kate's dark hair painted with her own blood._

 _"We have to go Thomas. They're breaking through. Come now, through the window."_

 _"We can't just leave her here!"_

 _"We have to. There's nothing to do for her now. We'll avenge her, I promise, but we have to go now!" In a stupor, he allowed his brother to pull him through the window, climbing the sheets he had ripped from their sister's bed to let themselves down to a ledge. They had left her and the castle behind that night, but Thomas carried it with him, and would not fail his sister again._

As Thomas dwelt on that night, he carried Lucy over to the floor behind his brother's chair and set her down. Her crimes would be dealt with later. Just then the door was smashed in as Cut barreled into the room _._

"Lucy!"

Lord Bryan aimed at Cut. "One more step and you're dead."

Cut's eyes flashed hatred, then he looked at Lucy.

"You've hurt her."

"Not nearly as much as I will."

"I'll kill you," he said choking on the words.

"Not this time," replied Thomas rising from Lucy and lowering his gun at Cut as well. Lucy grabbed the chair closest to her. In one burst of strength she pushed off from it, lifted it, and brought it crashing down on Thomas' head. They both fell the ground.

"Lucy!"

Lord Bryan fired a shot as he turned to see what had happened, but it only grazed Cut's arm, not stopping him from leveling a blow on the Lord that sent him out of his chair, knocked out cold. Cut picked Lucy off the floor and cradled her in his arms.

"Lucy, I heard the shot. I worried it was you. I should've waited for you."

"Cut, you need to run. The villagers are coming. They think you killed someone."

"You shouldn't have gone to the priest."

"No, he was going to help us. He was going to marr….UGH!" gasped Lucy.

"Lucy? Luc?!"

"Cut, I love you." Lucy fell unconscious.

"Lucy!

Cut looked down at her wound. The bullet was still in, blocking the wound. She had lost a lot of blood though, and some was till seeping through. Her heart was weak. Lord Thomas started stirring. Cut only knew one group of people who could help. He'd have to find his way back into the castle. Cut ran outside, clutching Lucy. The villagers were coming. He could see their torches. Lord Bryan ran towards Cut, his guns empty.

"Stop them!"

"No!" Cut saw the priest trying to stop the crowd. "I promise you, they are innocent. The girl came to confession this morning."

"The man's a murderer. He killed old John. We'll finish him," shouted the men.

"They wouldn't!" creid Mrs. Tori stepping in front of the mob.

While the mob was halted, Cut took off, running into the night.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Cut blinked hot tears as he ran with Lucy. He stopped for nothing. No food, no sleep. He only stopped to steal a horse from a terrified farmer. Without rest, he rode the horse to the ground till he came to the river. Holding Lucy out of the freezing water, he waded across it and through a burned meadow. "We're almost there. Hold on." There it was. A dark castle rising out of what once was prosperous and rich lands. Cut squeezed her tight. Her heart was fainter than a sleeping birds. The castle was surrounded by a small moat, a remnant from an ancient bygone era, but the moat was frozen over. Testing his weight carefully, Cut started to cross the ice with his precious burden.

"SILENCE! APE! Let me in!"

No Answer.

"Claw! He's no where near me. I need help."

No answer, but a slight shadow moved in one of the upper rooms.

"I know you're there, let me in."

Cut looked down at Lucy.

"She's dying!"

"I don't care!" came the sharp reply. "You are no longer welcome here."

"Claw. Please!"

Cut waited as the wind whistled through the bare trees. The cold was beginning to bite. He held Lucy even tighter.

"Silence! Please!" Cut dropped to his knees and buried his head in Lucy's hair.

Just then a lower window, from the base of the castle, just over the moat, squeaked open.

"Hurry," came a raspy voice. Cut slide across the ice and directly into the window. Looking around him, Cut saw a man with abnormally shaped arms boarding the window back up. A quiet woman stood next to him handing him nails.

"Thank you ape."

"I did it for Silence. We'd all be dead if not for her."

The quiet woman with the dark hair nodded to Cut. Her angry red scars crisscrossing her neck stood out against her pale skin and white frock.

"She has a bullet trapped in her," rushed Cut. "Where's Claw?"

"Why should I help?" said a woman just coming down the stairs into the damp basement. Her fingers had long nails, but they were as tough as iron. She stood at the base of the stairs, in the cell-like doorway. The basement was full of cells. It's where they had all "lived" back when the Lords ruled the castle. She gestured to two empty cells on the side. "You got Stump killed over the stupid old woman. Wolf's gone now too."

"Claw, you don't have anything better to do," stated a man leaning against the single fire place across from the door.

Claw shook her head. "You're not one of us anymore Cut."

"She is," cried Cut desperately, showing Lucy's twisted leg.

Claw just looked off into the distance. Silence crossed quietly over to Lucy, feeling her pulse. She motioned for Ape and Cut to lay her on one of the many operating tables in the room. The man by the fire place crossed over and placed a rag with ether over Lucy's face to make sure she wouldn't wake up, while Silence quietly collected a scaple and tweezers from a tray by the fire. As she leaned over Lucy, she looked up at Claw. Claw shifted uncomfortably but didn't move out of the doorway. Silence lowered her head back to Lucy and cut away the fabric to see the wound better. She poured wine over it, and made two small cuts on either side to widen the wound. Cut squeezed his hands while Ape and the other man stood by to hold Lucy down. As Silence raised the tweezers, a clawed hand reached out and stopped her. Silence turned to see Claw nodding quietly and pushing her gently aside. Dipping her nails in water and then drying them, she gently dug through Lucy with the back of her nails till she found the bullet, lifting it out smoothly and quickly. The man with the ether smiled at Claw, revealing rows of sharp teeth and bloody gums. Claw gave him a half smile and patted Silence on the shoulder as she dressed the wound. "So what's her name" asked Ape?

"Lucy" replied Cut, breathing again.

"You'll just have to wait and see now," said the man with the ether.

"No Bite," said Cut as he moved towards Lucy's leg. "Now I need to do something I should've done a long time ago.

"Hello up there!" came a shout from outside the castle. Everyone stopped what they were doing, except for Silence who quietly finished bandaging Lucy and then started cleaning around the table. Claw and Cut raced to the window.

"Hello up there! My name is Father Pierce. I'm here to see Lucy and Cut. I know they're here. I followed Cut's trail.

"I thought you said no one was here," hissed Bite as he stood by Claw.

Ape peered over Cut's shoulder. "He looks like Stump. Just with legs and arms."

"Look behind the tree," pointed Claw.

"Lord Bryan. Just waiting for us to let the other man in," said Bite.

"Don't let him in," said Cut. "You were right Claw. I am sorry."

"Is he with the Lord?"

"No, he actually helped us, but it's too risky."

"Cut! I know you're up there. I only want to help. I have medicine and food."

Just then Lord Bryan darted out from behind the tree, knocking Father Pierce over the head. Cocking his pistol he aimed the barrel at the senseless form of the priest. "All right!" he shouted. "Come out or I shoot!"

"The priest doesn't matter to us!" called back Cut.

"Oh, what would that charming young lady say? Well girl?!" Lord Bryan waited, but heard no reply.

"No, well let's see what happens when you hear his screams."

Cut felt a sharp pain in his shoulders. It was Silence. She was pinching his and Ape's arms in a death like grip, her eyes wide. She looked sharply at Cut and pleadingly at Ape.

"Bryan, Stop!" Thomas came running up from behind his brother and grabbed his pistol. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Get off me Thomas! I won't stop now! He's with them." Thomas held on tight as Father Pierce slowly started to stir and rise back up.

"Father-" began Thomas.

"I don't want to hear it! I've come to expect this from you," he said looking at Bryan, "But Thomas, Thomas I am disappointed."

Bryan broke free from Thomas and charged the priest, only to be met with a hard right hook that knocked him out cold. The priest turned to Thomas. "Take your partner in persecution and leave!" he said as he straightened his robes. "I need to take care of a member of my flock. Father Pierce crossed the ice and sat by the window. Thomas picked up Bryan and limped away. His head hanging and his eyes darting about as if searching for an answer.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was a half hour before Cut convinced them to let Father Pierce in. "Where's the food?" asked Bite the second he was through the window.

"Right here my son." replied the Priest.

Bite quickly divided it up evenly between all of them while Cut and the priest walked over to Lucy. "How is she Cut?"

"I don't know."

While Father Pierce started boiling herbs in a cup of water by the fire he talked to Cut. "I understand your decision out there Cut, but in the future, always value human life."

"We're not humans," replied Cut.

The Father looked over at Claw handing Silence a little extra food and back at Cut. "I don't think so my son. Lord Bryan, now that's a monster." He pulled the herbs from the water, and poured the drink down Lucy's throat while Cut held her. Cut's eyes wandered to Lucy's leg.

"Preist?"

"Yes."

"She said she talked to you. That you were going to marry us. What is that?"

"It means you would be with each other forever, and only each other."

"I thought she didn't love me."

"No. Lucy was just afraid...of change."

"What if she changes her mind again?" Cut asked, more to himself than the Priest.

"Well, it seems to me you two need each other."

"If Lucy was strong, and well, and whole, she wouldn't need me. Maybe it's best I love a broken girl. She'll stay with me forever," said Cut as he moved further away from Lucy's leg.

Father Pierce smiled a sad smile.

"Cut, I was once in love. As a young man. Her name was Clara."

"Where is she?"

"That's what I wanted to talk about Cut. Oh, she was a beautiful one that Clara. She had flaming red hair, like the sun at the end of the day. We called her our Scottish Rose. She had grown up without a father and, a woman who couldn't be called a mother. When I was 18, I picked her a bunch of nettle, made a small wooden ring, and went to ask her to marry me."

"And?"

"I lost my nerve Cut. I was shy, and scared. Scared of what she'd say. And, if I'm honest, scared of the responsibility. She wasn't a well woman Cut. She was beautiful and kind, but troubled. Deeply troubled. I never made it into her house that day. I heard her and her mother yelling at each other, and then her screaming. I was scared and dropped everything and ran. I avoided her that whole week, trying to build up the courage to talk to her by Sunday Service As it happened,..Well, they found her body on Saturday. She'd killed herself, or so it seemed. As she was dressed for her funeral, they found this clenched in her hand." Father Pierce handed his bible to Cut. There was a small wooden ring inside the binding.

"She had small fingers."

"Aye. I made it to fit them perfectly. As they prepared her for the burial, they found out she was going to have a child. We never knew who the father was."

"So? It wasn't your fault."

"I still don't know Cut. I was afraid for years that my dropped ring and flowers, might somehow have been the final step that sent her over. I fear I was her one friend, and I left her alone that week. I left her broken. I became a Priest out of that fear. The realization that people can't survive in this world broken. We have to heal. If only in part, we can't go our whole lives feeling twisted and worthless. I'm not afraid anymore now Cut. Just haunted."

Cut looked over at Silence resting in Ape's arms. Claw and Bite were talking in a corner of the room. Cut looked down at Lucy. "I don't want to broken." Reaching down, he held Lucy's upper leg with one hand, and her lower leg with the other. Gripping tightly, he pulled hard until he heard a popping/breaking sound. Claw looked up. "You shouldn't do that. She won't understand us anymore." Cut ignored her and rotated the leg until it was straight, then set it in. Father Pierce handed him wood and rags to make a stake with to hold the leg straight.

Cut sat down and looked over at Claw and Bite. "Now, I'll wait."

For the next two days, Cut and the priest kept giving Lucy the tea. Everyone got hungrier. They had run out of food. They had been too scared of Lord Bryan for months to go out and get more supplies, and now they knew he was near by waiting.

Cut had fallen asleep by Lucy's bed when he felt a stir.

"Cut?"

"Lucy!"

He just held her for a moment, but then, glancing at the priest, he swung her legs out of the bed.

"Cut, what-"

"Trust me Lucy. Stand up."

Her brow closed together, Lucy put her weight on her good leg. Gently, Cut held her hips, and shifted her weight to both legs. Lucy's eyes widened as she felt her leg hold her up. When she tried to take a few steps they were wobbly. Her leg wasn't strong, but it was straight. With a smile she took three steps to Cut and collapsed in his arms.

"I'm sorry," whispered Cut.

"For what you dolt? I've never been so happy." Hearing a movement, Lucy looked behind her and saw a slight girl with angry red scars on her throat.

"You must be Silence."

The girl gave a faint smile and nodded. She reached out slowly and touched the sleeve of Lucy's dress. A strange light shone in here eyes. As if remembering something. Lucy's eyes focused on the trembling in her fingers, but Cut was oblivious.

"Yes, that's Silence. That is Ape, Bite, and Claw. Claw was the one who took the bullet out."

"Oh it was nothing," said Claw. "And now the Lord is outside waiting to kill us, and we have no food. Welcome to our prison."

Silence rolled her eyes at Claw. That's when they heard the crack. Racing to the window, they saw the ice around the castle was cracking. The two brothers were crossing over. Tied by a rope if one of them fell. Lord Bryon took the lead.

"They' can't get in," asserted Bite. The two brothers made it safely across to the main locked up doors. Thomas handed him a flask and a small silver box. Bryon poured the contents of the flask on the door. Then, he flipped open the lid of the small silver box. A flame came out of it.

"What is that? whispered Ape.

With a smile of satisfaction, Lord Bryon set the doors on fire. The waiting, would be over soon.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Bite and Cut raced to the locked dungeon doors. "We have to stop them before they get in!"

Claw unlocked the door and the two rushed out. Claw started to lock the door back up when she paused. She looked behind her at Silence and Ape. "I should stay."

Silence motioned for her to leave. Ape nodded. Even Lucy whispered "go". With a smile, Claw tossed Silence the keys and went out the door. Silence locked it.

"Right," said Ape. "Everyone grab some of these sharp knife things. Silence, you wait in the shadows by the old cells. I'll wait by the door. Lucy and Old Man, go back behind all the bookshelves and don't make a sound.

"Now wait a second," started Father Pierce "Don't be counting us out of a fight. I can-"

"Not now father." said Lucy as she grabbed his arm and pulled him behind the shelf.

They waited quietly. Silence glanced out the window and signed that the brothers had made it into the house. Occasionally they could hear banging sounds and shouts of fury, but not cries of pain. The brothers knew their house well, and it was clear they were hard to catch. Finally, they heard footsteps coming to the locked door. From behind the bookshelves, Lucy could see two slender shadows. It wasn't Cut or Bite. They heard a rattling as a key was put in the lock. The door started to swing open. Ape swung out from behind the door and tried to slam it shut, cutting at the hands in the way, but a shot rang out hitting Ape in the shoulder. Silence, Lucy and the priest came out of their hiding spots and charged but Lord Bryan grabbed Thomas' gun and leveled it at Ape rising from the floor.

"Drop the knives and sit down or I'll kill him." Silence dropped her knife and sat down so hard Lucy thought she must have broken something. Ape tried to run Lord Bryan down but he kicked him in his injured shoulder. Lucy and the Father dropped their knives.

"Thomas, pick them up."

"He's not here Bryan. I know he's the one who did it and he's not here."

"They'll be careful about coming down here. They'll know we have a trap." Lord Bryan looked keenly at Lucy. "But I think we can find a way to override their logic. Keep a gun on the slight girl in the corner."

Thomas pointed a gun at Silence, but his eyes were on his brother.

Lord Bryan crossed over to Lucy and struck her across the face. The Priest stepped towards them.

"Back away!" shouted Thomas.

"Go on," goaded Lord Bryan as he threw Lucy against a wall. "Scream. Cry out."

Lucy gritted her teeth.

"I see your leg is healed. Is it still tender?" hissed Lord Bryan as he grabbed a tool from the wall and whammed it into her back leg. Lucy let out a small cry as she heard the crack and felt the pain fresh like the day in the fire. Father Pierce rushed forward and grappled with the Lord. Thomas was frozen on the spot, but Ape's movement on the floor jolted him and he fired at the Priest. Lord Bryan finally managed to smash his fist into Father Pierce's face and sent him sprawling as Thomas kept his gun trained on Silence and Ape. Lord Bryan grabbed a knife and walked back toward's Lucy's form on the floor. "Go on, call for him to help you. He hates cuts after all," he stated as he slashed Lucy's arm.

The sounds of running footsteps echoed near the door.

"That's it. Louder!" cried the Lord as he stepped on Lucy's injured leg. She cried out in pain as Father Pierce, dazed and struggling to his feet, screamed at Thomas "Are you going to just stand there like a coward?!"

"Bryan stop!" cried Thomas. "They're coming, you don't need to do any more." A fire burned in Lord Bryan's eyes, and for a moment Lucy thought he was going to cut her again, but he stepped back and turned to the door. Lucy looked at Thomas, standing pale with his gun pointed at Silence. A horrible look of fear were in both of their eyes.

"Why?" gasped Lucy. Lord Bryan turned but she kept her eyes on Thomas as he stared down at the floor.

"Why?!"

"For my sister. You're Cut killed her in cold blood."

"And he will pay with all of you," snarled Lord Bryan.

"But Cut would never have hurt a defenseless girl."

"Why? Because he spared a sniveling cripple like you?" asked Lord Bryan.

Lucy stared hard at Thomas. "Cut's never struck a priest, or threatened a mute girl, or beat up on a cripple. I can't believe you have a sister who would-"

"Shut up!" screamed Bryan striking Lucy across the face. "Our sister's gone, and" he said turning to his brother, "we will make them pay. We're almost there," he added as the sound of footsteps drew closer. They could hear Bite and Cut's voices as they started down the steps. Lord Bryan had reloaded his gun. Claw's voice came over loudly warning to be quiet. Silence sat up straighter, her eyes hooking Thomas' as he saw his own fear reflected in them. With a glance between them, Father Pierce and Ape charged Lord Bryan. He fired at the Priest, hitting him in the chest. Ape slammed Lord Bryan to the ground but Thomas had his gun at his head. Bite, Cut and Claw charged into the room. Thomas raised his pistol at Cut when he was grabbed from behind. Spinning he saw the girl. The mute with the scars. She held his gaze, and then moved her lips. Lucy watched her too. She was saying something. Thomas stared in horror as he realized the words she was forming with her silent voice.

"I killed the girl."

Lord Bryan had used the distraction of everyone staring at Thomas and Silence to grab a club. Swiftly he felled Bite to the ground. Thomas dropped his gun which Claw picked up. She fired at Lord Bryan, but missed. He flipped a knife out of his sleeve and slashed Claw across the face while she clawed at him. Cut ran to Lucy pulling her up into his arms. Claw was motionless on the ground. Thomas rushed at Silence with a savage cry, but she ran out the door with him following. Lord Bryan turned to face Cut and Lucy.

"You're a monster." stated Lucy. "It's your fault your sister died."

"It was her and Thomas' fault for coming uninvited and disrupting my other guests. Thomas wanted to check up on his patients that I had taken under my wing. Well, at least I still have you two. If you want to live, move to the cell. I'll come back for you once I've taken care of my brother." Claw rose up from the ground.

Lord Bryan turned at the sound.

"You know, I really hate you," she said as Lucy, shuddering, drove her knife into his back. Cut rushed forward and knocked the screaming Lord to the ground landing hit after hit on his face. Lucy rushed over to Father Pierce's side. The wound was deep, but it didn't seem to have hit his heart. She ripped her dress and pressed the cloth into the wound. Father Pierce started to open his eyes, but that's when they heard a cry of pain. Lord Bryan had kept a knife in his belt, and he had slashed Cut across the face. Cut fell back, clutching his face in his hands and crying. Claw ran forward, but Bryan knew the two of them could kill him in this room. Even the cripple would be dangerous. Grabbing some vials from the table he flung them at his two experiments, sending a gas at them.

Crawling forward and snatching a fallen pistol, Lucy blocked the door. She wouldn't let Lord Bryan escape, but he instead rushed for the window, throwing himself through the weak boards and the glass. Lucy fired off a shot, but it went wide. She started to crawl for the window, but heard Claw and Cut gasping on the floor. Holding her collar over her mouth, she crawled to them instead, and dragged Claw, the lighter of the two, out of the strange gas. Claw recovered quickly and helped Lucy pull Cut out.

As Cut's eyes and nose cleared, he looked toward the Priest, slowly trying to sit up, and then towards the door. "Do we know where Silence is?"

Thomas chased the slight figure. His gun was gone, but he still had his knife. She was climbing higher. He heard the creak of the old wooden door that led up to the observation tower. He pushed the trap door open. Leaning against one of the walls by an open archway, was the mute.

"Why?" croaked Thomas.

The mute just shook her head. She wasn't even crying. Just looking terrified. Thomas charged her with his knife. She tried to step out of the way, but they both fell out the window.

Silence reached out and grabbed the ledge, but saw a dark shape falling past her. She reached a hand out and felt a tug. The younger lord had grabbed her hand.

Thomas looked up to see whose hand he had grabbed. It was the mute's. The tension around her eyes eased when he looked up, but then she started gasping. It was a miracle she had held herself up with one hand, let alone a grown man's weight. Shapes appeared above in the window.

"Silence!". Thomas quickly shut his mouth.

"Silence, are you all right?" asked the creature with claws. The mute nodded.

Thomas swayed in the wind as "Silence's" friends tried to haul her up.

"I can't hold her!"

"Silence," growled the one with the teeth, "just let him go. We can't save you both."

Silence shook her head.

"She won't drop him Bite. Ape, get Cut. Bite, help me lower this rope. You down there! We're lowering a rope. You've got the free hand so grab it."

Thomas waited as a rope was lowered to him. He grabbed it easily and let go of Silence's hand. The rope was holding. He started to climb up. He was eye level with Silence. She was holding on to her friend and trying to climb, but the snow and rain had made the stone slippery. She turned her eyes towards Thomas. The red scars shone even brighter against her pale skin in the twilight. Groaning, Thomas swung towards her. She grabbed the rope and started climbing hand over hand with him till they could crawl in through the window. By this time all the "freaks" had come upstairs. They had all survived, though they all had bloody wounds on their heads or arms.

Thomas turned to Lucy. "I believe I owe you an apology." Lucy started towards him with her fist coming up but the mute, Silence, stopped her. Thomas turned towards her. "As far as I'm concerned, you're all murderers."

"No worse than your brother." replied Bite. "You think we were all born like this? You don't remember us?"

"You were patients my brother..."

"Did I have claws like this when you saw me last? Did you ever have such freakish patients? With cuts and scrapes? He made us into these monsters! You two killed your sister! Not just Silence!"

"Silence?" Cut's face was drawn in confusion. "It' couldn't have been. She's the gentlest. She'd never hurt a fly."

Silence hung her head and shook it. She turned to Claw.

"She did. The night we escaped, Silence got up the stairs the fastest. While Ape and Bite were trying to break down the Lords' door I ran to find Silence. I walked into the Sister's room. She was lying on the floor between her door and her bed. Her skull...it was...broken. I looked behind the door. Silence was standing there with a smoking gun. She dropped it the second she saw me. She looked so horrified. Cut came in and we heard the commotion on the other end of the hall. We headed towards the window, but Silence was trying to drag the girl to her bed. We lifted her in and Silence covered her with the sheets before we ran out the window."

"Why! She had done nothing to you! But then again, you were the most violent ones. Murderers already," cried Thomas.

"Cut was never a patient of yours. The Lord kidnapped him as a young boy, but you never bothered to notice," spat Ape.

"Yes, we were dangerous. Little Silence, abused since she was a little girl, finally fighting back one night and getting incarcerated for it. And I had killed. They asked for it you know. It wasn't your brother who burned my hands. It was the filth on the street, all because I wasn't respectable, snapped Claw.

Thomas turned to Silence and pushed her against a wall. Claw and Father Pierce moved forward but Silence motioned them away.

"Why did you kill my sister?" demanded Thomas.

Silence mouthed the words carefully.

I did not mean to. When she screamed, the noise...I...I...I jumped…..I

Silence started to cry. Silent sobs, she couldn't make a sound, but they shook her whole body.

"She was scared and she reacted." finished Claw. "We all have a dark side. We came to your asylum to have it cured. Instead you gave us to the Devil."

"Speak of the Devil" said a venomous voice as Lord Bryan stepped out of the shadows, a loaded pistol in his hand "and he comes."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Speak of the Devil" said a venomous voice as Lord Bryan stepped out of the shadows, a loaded pistol in his hand "and he comes."

Every breath was held as they turned to see Lord Bryan. Silence, sank back against the wall as Thomas looked at his brother, defeat and shock in his eyes.

"Thomas, you ever oblivious fool, step over here now." said Lord Bryan, his gun trained on Claw, but his eyes flitting between the others.

"Brother," gasped Thomas, "Brother, what...what have you been doing?"

"Now is not the time Thomas. You seem to be forgetting that in spite of it all, they are murderers. Even the Priest tried to kill me downstairs where you left me surrounded by madmen. Now step over here."

"But-"

"No." barked Lord Bryan. "Everyone will now stand perfectly still," he said as he pulled a second pistol, though his wounded arm wavered.

"Thomas step over here now."

While Bryan commanded his brother, Lucy kept one hand on Cut's shoulder to steady herself, and the other hand hidden behind Cut and the Priest.

"I've still got the gun from downstairs" whispered Lucy. "I think it's got one shot left."

"How good a shot are you?" whispered Father Pierce.

"I've never shot a gun before today."

"Oh dear. Have any of you shot before?" After a pause, the Priest continued. "Well wait a moment and pass it to me my child. I can't fathom why the Lord hasn't started shooting yet. He's got enough bullets to end you larger ones."

"He's not done with us yet," hissed Cut. "He's hoping to keep some of his toys."

Silence started to move, positioning herself in front of the open arch.

"Very well then," Lord Bryan said, with his eyes on Silence. "You can go first," as he steadied his gun arm.

"Bryan, this stops now," said Thomas as he stepped slightly in front of Silence. "We're taking them all downstairs and contacting the authorities. They need the hospital and the village girl needs to go home."

Silence started to lean back, but Thomas reached back and grabbed her arm. Thomas started towards his brother, dragging her by the arm. "All of you are coming downstairs now. It's over. It's all over," he added to his brother Bryan

Claw started to turn back towards them, but Lord Bryan shouted at her to remain still. However, as they neared Lord Bryan, something in Silence seemed to snap. She started pulling back. Though she made no sound, you could tell she was screaming. Ape started to tense his arms. Even Cut was taking a step forward. Thomas looked back to try and settle Silence, but paused at her face. For the first time, he saw the caged animal. He looked back over his shoulder at his brother, a look of pure content on Lord Bryan's face as he took in everyone's terror.

And then, all hell broke loose.

Silence broke free from Thomas, tripping backwards into Father Pierce as Cut and Claw surged forward, and Bite and Ape moved to the left around Lord Bryan. Cut reached Thomas first, pinning him and wrapping his arm around his neck. Lord Bryan fired at Bite, who dodged, but still took the bullet, falling to the ground. As Claw reached him, slashing his hand he dropped one pistol, but managed to hit her in the head with the other. She fell to her knees, his gun against her temple.

"Enough!" shouted Cut. "I have your brother."

Lord Bryan looked up at Cut. "Didn't you hear my brother, it's all over," and he fired.


	12. Chapter 12

"NO!" cried Bite as Ape slammed into Lord Bryan. Lord Bryan fired off another shot into Ape.

As Lord Bryan pushed Ape's body off of him. Cut stared in absolute horror, his arms slacking for a moment, and then tightening around Thomas' neck. As Cut closed his eyes and prepared to twist, he felt an arm on his shoulder. Turning to see Lucy, he relaxed his grip.

Thomas used the distraction to break free and run forward to his brother, pinning him to the ground.

"Bryan! Stop this!"

"There's no choice Thomas!" cried Lord Bryan as he punched his brother in the face. As Thomas reeled back in pain, Lord Bryan let loose another shot at the charging Bite, clipping him in the side. At the same time, Lord Bryan kicked Thomas in the face, the cracks of the bullet breaking Bite's bone, and his foot Thomas' nose deafening to Lucy. Lord Bryan raised his head and surveyed the scene as Lucy looked around trying to process what had happened. In 10 seconds they had both taken it in. Silence cradled the bleeding Ape. He lay so still Lucy wasn't certain if he was…. Claw was dead. Bite was severely injured from the bullet and the fall when it struck him, but he'd crawled to Claw's side and grabbed her wrist to check for a pulse. Lord Bryan didn't give them a second glance, he could see the bloody remains of where Claw's head had been. Lucy could tell Claw had left them from the way Bite was grasping her wrist and letting his head fall, his body racked with tremors and sobs. Cut was stepping in front of Lucy, preparing for Lord Bryan to use his last two shots from his remaining pistol. Where was Father Pierce? Before she could find him, Lucy's eyes were drawn back to Lord Bryan. He sized up the situation and made his decision. She stared in horror as he lowered his pistol at his own brother's head.

Thomas looked up through the pain and the blood in his face at Lord Bryan.

"Did you ever even care about Kate?" he pleaded.

Lord Bryan thought for just a moment, and then shrugged his shoulders as he pulled back the hammer on his pistol.

"I don't see that it matters."

"Stop NOW!" cried Father Pierce as he strode towards the Lord, the pistol Lucy had slipped him leveled right at Lord Bryan's chest. Father Pierce strode closer and closer, till he was so close neither he or Lord Bryan could possibly miss.

"Last warning Lord Bryan, drop the gun."

"If you had a shot, you would have already used it."

"Of course," replied the Priest as he dropped his gun and grabbed the Lord's hand pointing his gun straight up.

As the Priest and Lord Bryan fought over the gun, Thomas followed them with his eyes, finally regaining enough vision and focus just in time to see it go off. Father Pierce had hoped the bullet would get embedded in the stone, but there must have been some metal in the structure, because the bullet bounced off. As it raced towards the several prostrate figures on the ground, Thomas instincitively flattened himself over Silence and the unconscious Ape, feeling a blazing pain in his side as his warm blood mixed with the rain and the other blood on the floor.

"Now," said Father Pierce, "It'll be over!" Lord Bryan grabbed the Priest's wrist and twisted, spraining it enough to turn the gun into his shoulder and fire. As Father Pierce cried out and fell back, Lord Bryan whirled to his side in time to see Cut rushing towards him with a knife.

"Careful with that knife boy, you may cut yourself."

Cut slashed at the Lord, but he skipped out of the way.

"Isn't that what the girl calls you? Cut? A fitting name. In a way, I gave it to you myself!" he cried pulling his own knife and slashing Cut on the arm. They slashed back and forth, landing and blocking blows, but Cut was stronger than Lord Bryan, who was still bleeding from his knife wound in his back.

Thomas tried to rise to his feet, his body deciding what to do before his mind could, but he stumbled. Belatedly, he realized someone was holding his arm. Looking back he saw the mute girl, Silence, grasping his arm. Her eyes darted from his to the helpless man in her arm. Begging. She was begging him. Thomas tried to pull away. She was still his sister's murderer. They all were, but… he didn't want to be here. He needed to get away, to think, to try to process how his whole world had gone insane in three short minutes. But there was not time to process, for as he turned he saw the village girl Lucy rushing to the bleeding Priest, the man with the strange teeth cradling the corpse of the woman his brother had shot, and the mad man they had hunted grappling with his...brother. The rain continued to pour and the wind to rage. The likelihood that they would all slip on these stones and fall to their deaths seemed to increase with every drop of rain and blood that poured over the tower. Thomas glanced down at the man in Silence's arms. His chest still moved, but his breathing was rattled and faint. It may already be too late. Thomas closed his eyes for one moment. He was to numb to think, to shocked to process, all he could do now was act. Fall back on his instincts and his training. Fall back on what he knew. Opening his eyes, Thomas ripped off his sleeve, and pressed it into the wound on Ape's stomach. Silence stared at him hopefully, questioningly as he told her, "we need to get him downstairs."

Cut prayed Lucy was standing back, or better yet, getting down from the tower. He knew she would want to help, but he couldn't see what she was doing. The wind blew the rain into his face, and the flashing of the lightning just disoriented him instead of illuminating anything. Thankfully, it seemed to be affecting Lord Bryan similarly. Snarling, Cut shoved forward, trying to push Lord Bryan closer to the edge. They had grabbed each other's hands, but every now and then their grips would slip, and one of them would get another slash in on the other's hands and arms.

Cut squeezed Lord Bryan's wrist tighter, hoping to hear the poping sound that would let him know he had broken it, but Lord Bryan leaned his head in closer to make sure Cut could hear him. "Before I kill you, I want you to know, I already have plans for your little friend. Perhaps it'll be a comfort to you to know I won't kill her. No, she'll be easy to manage. Right now, I think I'll continue my transplant experiments. Perhaps I'll use your body parts to replace hers. Then you'll never be separated, in this life or the next!" he cried as he shoved Cut over towards the edge, wresting his wrist away and stabbing his knife into his shoulder. Screaming through the pain, Cut wrapped his hand around the Lord's throat, squeezing with the last of his strength.

"You'll die now! You'll die before you touch her!"

Just then Cut heard Lucy cry out.

"No! Don't!" as a body came flying into them, sending them slipping over the edge. Cut kept his grip on Lord Bryan's throat, determined not to let him breathe again, but he could feel him being wrenched from his grip, pulled away towards the darkness. As the world seemed to spin and blur, the lightning finally illuminated the tower. Bite had crashed into the two of them, gripping Lord Bryan around the waist. He had pushed the Lord over the edge, but the two of them would fall together. Cut thought about letting go of Lord Bryan's throat, his face red and purple with rage and choking, but it was too late. Cut could already fill his feet slipping and his body tottering. He could feel the momentum of Bite's lunge carrying all three of them over the edge and into the whirling darkness below. Into the abyss, into death, and yet Cut was grateful. Grateful Bite had done it, even if it ended all three of their lives. The rest would be safe. Lucy would live, free at last. Perhaps Cut would be free as well. But as he fell, Cut felt arms grab his shirt and pull him back. Voices crying out. As Bite and Lord Bryan fell, Cut tried to watch them, to see Lord Bryan's life end, and to watch for Bite. He could feel his shirt ripping, but the hands had got a grip on his arm now, and pulled him back over. With a thud he fell back into the tower, but he didn't land on stone. He fell on something much softer. Focusing, he looked down... at Lucy.

"Thank God!" she whispered, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him down closer to her. Cut tried to rise, certain he was crushing her, but she pulled him tighter, and gripped him harder. He struggled slightly, but then finally relented and wrapped his arms around her too. "Thank you," he whispered to her. He felt her sob, and pull him in tighter. "Never let go. Hold me tighter!" she gasped, the sobs coming fast now, and shaking her whole frame. Cut squeezed her tighter, as if he could somehow pull her inside himself or pull himself into her. But he needed to see her. Pulling back slightly, he got his head up, and cradled her bleeding cheek in his hand. Lucy opened her eyes and looked into his. "I love you" he told her. As he said it, he realized it was the first time he'd told her. He'd said as much before, but never just those three words. Lucy had said them to him when she'd been shot, when he'd thought he'd lost her. Now, he knew he had her forever. Lucy looked up at him, her eyes shining. She tilted her face up. Her lips parted slightly. Cut caught his breath. He leaned down. He felt as though all the air had left his lungs. The next moment, their lips touched. In a breathless moment, a warmth spread from their faces to their whole bodies, melting them together, uniting them more than they had every felt before. For the first time, in a long time, they felt whole.

"You two!" cried a voice, jolting them back to the lightning storm in the tower. Looking up, they saw Thomas and Silence lifting a makeshift stretcher with Ape's still form. Thomas cried out to them again. "You two idiots get over here now or we'll never get him down the stairs before he bleeds out!"

 **Sorry for how late this is. The ending turned out to be much harder than I thought to write. This is the second to last chapter. I will have Chapter 13 posted by Tuesday, if not sooner.**

 **Any reviews or feedback would be appreciated.**


	13. Chapter 13

In the end, Thomas, Silence, Cut and Father Pierce were able to get Ape down the stairs. Lucy had tried to help, but her heart had started pounding again. She'd tried to pretend it was just adrenaline from all that had happened, but Cut could tell. In the end she sat on the stairs and rested, slowly making her way back down. By the time she was down, Father Pierce and Cut had gathered the bodies, while Silence helped Thomas to save Ape.

They'd stopped the bleeding and cleaned the wound, but Thomas was still worried. Ape had lost a lot of blood. Lucy had made it into the room as he had finished explaining this to the frightened Silence.

"Is there nothing that can be done?" asked Lucy.

Thomas looked up at her. "I've heard of experiments with animals, where blood was transferred from one to the other. But, it can go terribly wrong, causing a painful death even."

Cut and Father Pierce had returned to the room. "You mean taking one thing's blood and giving it to another?" asked Cut.

Thomas looked up at him in surprise. "Yes?"

"Ape can survive it."

"Cut, we all want to save your friend, but, how can you be sure?" asked Father Pierce gently, but Thomas had already started looking around, finding his brother's transfusion tools in a cupboard to the side.

"How many different people did my brother try this with?" he asked in a whisper.

"It wasn't just people, and I don't remember how many. I didn't know most of them. Only Ape survived," replied Cut.

Thomas nodded, his jaw set and his eyes hard. Quickly, he began to set up the equipment. Silence started to roll up her sleeve, but Thomas put out his hand to stop her.

"No. No, none of you can spare the blood." Silence looked confused and started gesturing to the wounds and blood on everyone in the room, and then at herself, dirty but unharmed. "No," said Thomas. "I don't doubt you would give every drop of your blood for him, to take away his suffering...I don't doubt you would give your blood to take a lot of things...but I'm still a doctor and I can tell when a patient is malnourished. We use your blood my dear and we'll have another patient." At this Thomas, picked up the last needles and slid it into his own veins.

Silence gave Thomas a strange, small smile, and then hurried to Ape's side, brushing her hands along his temples, as though expecting him to wake at any moment. Cut stood next to Thomas as his blood flowed into Ape. Lowering his voice so that Silence wouldn't hear he whispered, "Is she really so bad off?"

"Probably," replied Thomas. "But just because Ape has survived this before doesn't mean he will today. She doesn't need that burden. Doesn't need an excuse to blame herself..." Thomas fell quickly silent. Oblivious, Cut continued to stare at him. "Perhaps," ventured Thomas, "there has already been too much of that." Father Pierce came up and placed a chair by Thomas for him to sit down. He'd already pulled up another one nearby for Lucy.

Lucy sat, holding Cut's arm, staring over at Silence and Ape, and trying to not think of Claw, Bite and Lord Bryan's bodies in the hall. "What happens now?" she whispered. Cut looked down at her, but then at Father Pierce. Father Pierce looked from Cut and Lucy, to Ape and Silence and then finally to Thomas. "Indeed, what will happen now?"

Thomas stepped up and removed the needles from his and Ape's arms. "Right now, we finish taking care of our patient."

Epilogue

Lucy walked through the sun lit meadow. It had been a wet and cold spring, but it promised to be a warm summer. Moving steadily, she caught up to Silence and Ape. Silence smiled at Lucy and pressed her hand as she walked past before taking Ape's again, and turning back towards the castle. Lucy continued on until she came upon Cut, kneeling in the dirt looking at the small sprouts starting to grow.

"Do you think it's the flowers?" he asked. "Do you think they're coming back?"

Lucy knelt in the dirt next to him. "They'll be here come summer, just you wait and see."

Cut turned to Lucy, raising his hand to brush hold her face. "I'd like for you to see them. I think it would make the others glad too, even the Doctor, should he ever come back."

"Father Pierce said he probably would, some day. He forgave Silence, but I don't think he's forgiven this place. It's all just a part of nightmare for him."

Cut nodded. "I can barely stand those stone walls myself. Listen, Lucy, I was thinking. We were happy in our cabin, weren't we?"

"Yes Cut, but you remember the arrangement, for the time being we're not to leave here. We're lucky Thomas trusts Father Pierce enough to check up on us and didn't insist we all go back to a...to a..."

"No, no, I know Lucy. I don't want to leave. You're the only thing I found out there that I want, at least for now, and, I couldn't bear to leave Bite and Claw all alone in that cemetery, surrounded by the strangers. No, I meant, what if I built us another cabin. Right here. Here in the meadow."

Lucy smiled quietly at the little sprouts, and looked up at the hill Cut was pointing to. "It would be a beautiful home," she agreed. Cut kept his eyes on Lucy's smiling face. "It will be a beautiful life," he replied, before leaning down to kiss her as softly and as long as he could, for as long as they both should live.

 **The Beginning**


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